ATI RN
Critical Care Nursing Exam Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse walks into a patients room and begins preparing a syringe to perform a blood draw on the patient. The nurse observes that the patient is firmly gripping the side of the bed, averting her eyes, and sweating from her forehead when she sees the needle. What would be the best intervention for the nurse to make?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because it shows empathy and promotes patient education. By describing the procedure and its necessity, the nurse can alleviate the patient's anxiety and build trust. This approach allows the patient to feel informed and in control, reducing fear and increasing cooperation. It also demonstrates respect for the patient's feelings and promotes a therapeutic relationship. Choice A is incorrect as it disregards the patient's fear and can lead to increased distress. Choice B might be an option, but it doesn't address the patient's anxiety in the moment. Choice C, while helpful in some cases, doesn't directly address the patient's specific fear of the blood draw procedure.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is caring for an older adult patient who is in card iogenic shock and has failed to respond to medical treatment. The primary care provider conducts a conference to explain that they have exhausted treatment options and suggest that the patient be made a �do not resuscitate� status. This scenario illustrates what medical concept?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Futility. In this scenario, the primary care provider suggests making the patient a "do not resuscitate" status because further medical treatment is deemed futile. Futility refers to situations where medical interventions are unlikely to achieve the desired outcome. This decision is made when the benefits of continuing treatment do not outweigh the burdens on the patient. Summary: A: Brain death does not apply here as the patient is not brain dead. C: Incompetence refers to the patient's ability to make decisions, not the medical concept being illustrated. D: Life-prolonging procedures are not being discussed; the focus is on the futility of further treatment.
Question 3 of 5
Which nursing actions for the care of a dying patient can the nurse delegate to a licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) (select all that apply)?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because providing postmortem care to a dying patient is a task that can be safely delegated to an LPN/LVN. This includes tasks such as preparing the body, cleaning, and positioning after death. LPNs/LVNs are trained and competent in performing these duties under the supervision of a registered nurse or physician. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they involve critical thinking, assessment, and teaching skills that are typically within the scope of practice of a registered nurse. Encouraging family members to talk with the patient, determining assessment frequency, and educating about signs of approaching death require a higher level of nursing judgment and expertise, which is beyond the scope of an LPN/LVN's role.
Question 4 of 5
The patient is admitted with complaints of general malaise and fatigue, along with a decreased urinary output. The patient�s urinalysis shows coarse, muddy brown granular casts and hematuria. The nurse determines that the patient has:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: intrarenal disease, probably acute tubular necrosis. The patient's symptoms of general malaise, fatigue, decreased urinary output, along with the presence of coarse, muddy brown granular casts and hematuria in the urinalysis indicate kidney damage. Acute tubular necrosis is a common cause of acute kidney injury characterized by damage to the renal tubules, leading to impaired kidney function. The presence of granular casts and hematuria suggests tubular injury and bleeding within the kidney. Choices A and B are incorrect as they refer to prerenal and postrenal causes of kidney injury, respectively, which do not align with the patient's symptoms and urinalysis findings. Choice D is incorrect as a urinary tract infection would typically present with different symptoms and urinalysis findings.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient receiving continuous norepinephrine (Levophed) IV infusion. Which patient assessment finding indicates that the infusion rate may need to be adjusted?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because a low Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) indicates inadequate perfusion, which may require adjusting the norepinephrine infusion rate to increase blood pressure. A: A heart rate of 58 beats/minute is within a normal range and may not necessarily indicate a need for adjustment. C: Elevated Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR) may be an expected response to norepinephrine and does not necessarily indicate a need for adjustment. D: A low Pulmonary Artery Wedge Pressure (PAWP) may indicate fluid volume deficit but does not directly relate to the need for adjusting norepinephrine infusion rate.
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